When to Repair, When to Replace

[markjenn]

You broken rear subframe tab is a more serious problem. I'm not acquainted with the accepted repair procedures, but if you have to pull the frame to reweld the tab, wow, that's a LOT of work. Dunno what you paid for the bike, but at some point, she's better sold for parts.

- Mark

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by smddanny

You can easily bend that one back to square with a 2X4 and couple of small blocks of same. You have to keep trial fitting the fairing pieces to get everything to look right. I think it is easier to bend back than to fit a new one.

Thanks - this is encouraging.

First I'll have to round up some unbroken fairing pieces but I'm getting a good feeling about this project.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by markjenn

You broken rear subframe tab is a more serious problem. I'm not acquainted with the accepted repair procedures, but if you have to pull the frame to reweld the tab, wow, that's a LOT of work. Dunno what you paid for the bike, but at some point, she's better sold for parts.

- Mark

Looks fairly easy to get at to weld that tab - it's right out in the open. I don't think I'll need to completely dismantle the bike.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by signit98

The front sub-frame can be bent back... Bill S has done it, but it seems to be a bit involved. The rear can be welded and while you are at that, add a little gusset on both sides... it will increase stability.

Is this what you mean by a "gusset"?

[signit98]

yup...

[AndrewA]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

I would imagine the biggest problem to straightening the front frame would be to make sure the tubes don't collapse or kink.

Actually, you run a real risk of breaking the front sub-frame of the bike if you put too much pressure on it. It's made of brittle cast type aluminum that could already be cracked due to the previous get-off.

The rear tab is easy for any welder.

My advise would be to bite the bullet and buy a new front fairing frame. The fairing frame holds everything onto the front of the bike, and if it's not straight, nothing else will line-up. Ever.

Although you could get lucky....

[dee jones]

Andrew is sooo right!! I've been messing around trying to straighten a front sub frame for over a year now, and I just can't get it right. Should have bit the bullet and just bought a new one and been done with it. Instead, I'm just fiddle farten around with the bike unfinished. I'll break down and order on one day.

[Emmbeedee]

Another question - my instrument housing is smashed, though the instruments themselves seem to be alive, at least the needles move when I turn on the key and the various lights are lit.

I see from an online parts diagram that I can buy the housing separately so it's possible to re-house mine.

Is that worth it or should I just troll eBay, and put in a request at Beemer Boneyard? My speedo's in KPH, and the bike has ABS so that makes the housing itself fairly expensive, but still, what's the best way?

Do these instruments come up now and again? Does anybody on here have a spare to sell? I don't really care if it's MPH as I could switch my speedo into it.

TIA!

[zx9rmal]

Originally Posted by shreddr

never forget the most important mantra "every product failure is an opportunity for an upgrade"! welcome

Do NOT listen to that man. He will have your motor apart before you blink.

[bradzdotcom]

hey zx, thinking along those lines, and considering the man with an unquenchable fetish for disassembly is in here (hi shred), maybe this thread should be renamed When to Repair, When to Replace, When to Run Like Hell.

mdb~you'll probably end up doing trolling, the boneyard and find additional sources looking for the parts you need. keep in mind, the things you're replacing are the things most often crunched.
(oh yea, and that bike in the barn thing you'll hear about....don't bother).


there's another catch (currently a car thing, but i'd imagine bikes are in there too): the insurance companies are making good bucks on scrap metal and they're actually turning a profit by totalling/scrapping the car rather than fixing it.
like cars, it's probably getting harder to find bikes to pick away at.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

mdb~you'll probably end up doing trolling, the boneyard and find additional sources looking for the parts you need. keep in mind, the things you're replacing are the things most often crunched.
(oh yea, and that bike in the barn thing you'll hear about....don't bother).
...

Might be cheaper to just make up an abbreviated instrument panel, using the instruments I have in it. All I really need is the tach and idiot lights. I could even do without the fairing and subframe if all I want is to ride it on track days anyway.

Has anyone got pictures of a "naked" R1100S? Wonder how that beautiful alloy tank would polish up?

[KMoore]

Originally Posted by Emmbeedee

Has anyone got pictures of a "naked" R1100S? Wonder how that beautiful alloy tank would polish up?

There are a few pictures on this board, Lennies comes to mind (he took it for a run without fairing during some development work).

Here's another idea

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by KMoore

There are a few pictures on this board, Lennies comes to mind (he took it for a run without fairing during some development work).

Here's another idea

Thanks - I read the www.metisse.de on the side of the bike and found more pictures of the same bike and others.

Interesting...

And I'm astonished at how well the actual instruments seem to have survived the accident on this bike. They look virtually untouched, though the white part of the housing is destroyed - in about 15 pieces.

Even the front of the housing is still useable. Hardly scratched at all, though one glass needs replacing.

[KMoore]

Have a search in GUS' posts. He was building something, not sure if it was ever finished.

Found it.
work in progress

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by KMoore

There are a few pictures on this board, Lennies comes to mind (he took it for a run without fairing during some development work).

Here's another idea

And this one is even more impressive!

[KMoore]

Ha, I was about to send that one

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by KMoore

Ha, I was about to send that one

Love the fairing! I want that!

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by markjenn

You broken rear subframe tab is a more serious problem. I'm not acquainted with the accepted repair procedures, but if you have to pull the frame to reweld the tab, wow, that's a LOT of work. Dunno what you paid for the bike, but at some point, she's better sold for parts.

- Mark

Took the rear subframe off a few minutes ago and found that the tab which was broken off had probably been broken and repaired before. When I say repaired, I use the term very loosely.

The broken part:


The frame part:


I think dry bubble gum might have been a more effective repair.

[Emmbeedee]

Originally Posted by AndrewA

Actually, you run a real risk of breaking the front sub-frame of the bike if you put too much pressure on it. It's made of brittle cast type aluminum that could already be cracked due to the previous get-off.

Snip...

Although you could get lucky....

I've been pondering this fairing sub-frame straightening problem and have an idea:

I don't think using a crowbar and bits of wood to straighten it will work very well because I don't want to put any pressure on the other parts and end up damaging anything else and it would be hard to push the frame in the right direction(s).

So, I was wondering what to use to try to pull the parts out and into line, and thought some kind of solid framework is what I needed when I remembered I have some scaffolding which I could setup around the bike and use that to pull against.

I think it's brilliant, if I say so myself.

I'd love to just go out and buy another subframe and if I have to I will, but this idea seems to have potential, I think.

Now I've just got to get the neighbour to return the scaffolding so I can try it out. That may be the tough part.

[EZ-RIDER]

I found you this at Moto-bins http://www.motobins.co.uk/


Z62280 R1100S BOXER CUP COMPLETE INSTRUMENTS IN MPH (MILES PER HOUR). BMW NO 62 11 7 688 280. MAY SUIT OTHER R1100S. UK DEALER PRICE £390.00 + VAT OUR PRICE £99.00 + VAT.